Process and device for cooling hot-rolled wire rods

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a process and device for cooling hotrolled wire rods for producing wire rods having a uniform quality and excellent mechanical properties by greatly reducing the dfference between the cooling rates in the central region and marginal regions of circular coiled wire rods which are conveyed continuously in a horizontal direction under such conditions that the centers of the wire rod coils are continuously shifted relatively at a fixed pitch.

United States Patent [191 Kato et al.

[451 Sept. 3, 1974 PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR COOLING HOT-ROLLED WIRE RODS Inventors: Tadashi Kato; Michitaka Fujita;

Masashi Kamakura; Yutaka Mizuta; I-Iiroki Koyanagi; Takuo Mizoguchi, all of Kitakyushu City, Japan Assignee:

Sumitomo Metal Industries Limited,

Osaka City, Japan Filed:

Sept. 20, 1972 Appl. No.: 290,489

Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 13, 1971 Japan 46-80775 Oct. 13, 1971 Japan 46-81102 June 5, 1972 Japan 47-56256 June 5, 1972 Japan 47-56257 US. Cl 34/13, 34/20, 34/105,

34/225, 242/79 Int. Cl F26b 7/00 Field of Search 34/20, 21, 13, 105, 162,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 475,628 5/1892 Stombs 198/127 R 3,231,432 l/1966 McLean et a1 l 148/153 3,367,036 2/1968 Wegmann et al.... 34/20 3,390,871 7/1968 McLean et al 242/79 3,399,506 9/1968 Howe, Jr 34/225 3,469,798 9/1969 Schroder 242/83 3,627,184 12/1971 Berz et al 242/79 Primary ExaminerJohn J. Camby Assistant Examiner-Larry I. Schwartz Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Watson, Cole, Grindle & Watson [5 7] ABSTRACT This invention relates to a process and device for cooling hot-rolled wire rods for producing wire rods having a uniform quality and excellent mechanical properties by greatly reducing the dfference between the cooling rates in the central region and marginal regions of circular coiled wire rods which are conveyed continuously in a horizontal direction under such conditions that the centers of the wire rod coils are continuously shifted relatively at a fixed pitch.

22 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEPB 1914 3.832.788

' SHEET 20$ 5 PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR COOLING HOT-ROLLED WIRE RODS In a known cooling process for adjustably fluid-blow cooling wire rods the same have been after hot-rolled, air is uniformly blown onto the wire rods which are disposed on a conveyor in the form of overlapped eccentric wire rings, from either above or below the conveyor. The wire rods are initially coiled up with a laying cone, are mounted on the conveyer successively and are conveyed with the conveyer chains as a series of eccentrically piled up loops formed by shifting the positions of the centers of the circular coiled wire rods.

However, the above mentioned wire rods in the form of eccentrically overlapped rings mounted on the conveyer are overlapped closely in both marginal regions but coarsely in the central region. Accordingly, the rings are cooled with air slowly in both marginal regions of said wire rods and more rapidly in the central region. Therefore, the produced wire rods have fluctuating mechanical properties and are reduced in quality.

In order to overcome such defects, many alterations have been carried out in the shape of the vent holes and the like so that the cooling rates in the central region and both marginal regions may be made more uniform. However, these efforts have not been sufficient and no perfect cooling device has yet been suggested.

A main object of the present invention is to provide an improved cooling process and device so that wire rods may be uniformly cooled in the respective regions by simultaneously using a process of cooling both marginal regions of the eccentrically overlapped rings of the wire rods by blowing cooling fluid laterally inward thereacross from any of diagonally above, sidewise and diagonally below with a fluid at a flow velocity of not less than 30 m./sec. (which shall be called edge aircooling hereinafter). Further the hot-rolled wire rods are cooled from 900C. to 550C. with a fluid at a flow velocity of not less than m./sec. in a generally vertical direction from either above or below the conveyer while the rods are conveyed continuously in the horizontal direction under such conditions that the centers of the circular coiled wire rods are shifted relatively at a fixed pitch on the conveyer in order to make the cooling rate as uniform as possible in the temperature range of 900 to 550 C. Thus, the mechanical properties of said wire rods are influenced in a manner to obtain wire rods having an improved quality and uniform mechanical properties by eliminating the above mentioned defects.

In the present invention, when the flow velocity at the time of the edge air-cooling is not more than m./sec., the cooling rates in the central region and both marginal regions of the ring wire rods will not be uniform and, when the flow velocity of the fluid blown generally vertically from either of the upper or lower ducts is not more than 20 m./sec., in the case where a single wire 5.5 mm. in diameter is to be cooled, an average cooling rate of 7/sec. from 900 C. to 550 C., as required for a patenting treatment, will not be obtained.

Another object of the present invention is to provide various devices having improved effects in the above mentioned process and device.

The uniformity of cooling wire rods is also further improved by cooling said wire rods generally vertically from either above or below and laterally inwardly from any of diagonally above, sidewise and diagonally below while expanding the gaps between the rings by relatively vertically shifting said wire rods in their marginal regions with a vertically moving mechanism.

The above described vertically moving mechanism is a mechanism, for example, comprising (1) a plurality of free horizontal rollers set higher than the level of the conveying floor at a spacing smaller than the wire ring diameter of said wire rods on both sides of the conveyer and at a fixed spacing in a direction parallel to the advancing direction of the wire rods, (2) eccentric rollers connected with rotary shafts at a spacing smaller than the wire ring diameter of the wire rods disposed on both sides of a conveyer, rotated by motors through chain wheels and driving chains and provided to be higher than the level of the conveying floor at a fixed spacing or (3) free rollers provided with chains rotating in the reverse direction to that of the conveyer for the wire rings and having a spacing smaller than the wire ring diameter, said rollers being disposed on both sides of the conveyer chain and at a higher level then the conveying floor at a fixed spacing on the above mentioned chains rotating in the reverse direction.

Further, for the conveying floor for said wire rods while said wire rods are cooled from 900 C. to 550 C., a roller conveyer or divided chain (which is called a braking mechanism) can be adapted instead of the conventional endless conveyer chain so that the overlapped regions of said wire rods may be deviated to form gaps between the wire rods and the uniform cooling effect may be improved by the fluid-blow cooling in a vertical from either above or below and laterally inwardly from any of diagonally above, sidewise and diagonally below.

The above mentioned roller conveyer comprises cylindrical rollers and rollers having a larger diameter at their ends than in the middle. Such rollers are properly combined and the rotating velocities of the respective rollers are freely adjustable in response to the chemical composition of the wire rods. Further, in the above mentioned divided chain, a plurality of rows of respectively independently rotating chains are provided parallelism with the advancing direction of said wire rods and at a spacing smaller than the wire ring diameter of the wire rods and the velocities of the respective chains are adjustable.

Further, in the present invention, the effect of unifonnly cooling wire rods is improved by fluid-blow cooling in a vertical direction from either above or below and laterally inwardly from any of diagonally above, sidewise and diagonally below while snaking said wire rods by a snaking mechanism wherein, for example, a plurality of vertical rollers are provided at a higher level then the conveying floor, at a spacing smaller than the wire ring diameter of said wire rods, in zigzag relationship on both sides of the conveyer and at a fixed spacing parallel to the advancing direction of the wire rods so that the marginal regions of the wire rods are shifted relatively in a horizontal direction.

The effect of uniformly cooling wire rods can be further improved by a fluid-blow cooling from below and from diagonally above by snaking said wire rods while moving them vertically by combining the snaking mechanism with the above described vertically moving mechanism.

Such respective mechanisms mentioned above as the vertically moving mechanism, braking mechanism and snaking mechanism may be used not only individually but also in combination to further improve the uniformly cooling effect. That is to say, for example, a combination of the vertically moving mechanism with either of the braking mechanism and snaking mechanism and a combination of the braking mechanism with the snaking mechanism are considered. Further, all of these three mechanisms may be combined.

In short, any mechanism for deviating the wire rods may be used.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the fundamental structure of a cooling device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on line II-II of FIG. 1 wherein edge air-cooling, vertical rollers and horizontal rollers according to the present invention are provided;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a positioning mechanism for horizontal rollers;

FIG. 4 is a side view showing eccentric rollers of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a cooling device provided with eccentric rollers and vertical rollers;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a cooling device provided with a conveyer chain fitted with rollers;

FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation view of a part of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a device according to the present invention provided with divided chains;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a device according to the present invention wherein wire rods are carried while being vertically moved with stepped rollers;

FIG. 9A is a partial section elevation view of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 10 is a graph showing cooling rates of respective regions of wire rings of said wire rods in the present invention and a conventional process.

The present invention shall be explained in detail in the following examples. 0.60% C0.54% Mn steel wire rods having a diameter of 5.5 mm. were used.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, hot-rolled wire rods are cooled with a known water-cooling device, are layed on a horizontal conveyer 2 with a laying cone 1, in the form of eccentrically overlapped wire rings 3 having a pitch of 38 mm. at the center of the conveyer and a wire ring diameter of 1,045 mm. and are conveyed at a fixed pitch in the direction indicated by the arrow on the horizontal conveyer 2.

Respective examples of the cooling of the wire rods under the above described conditions are described in the following.

Example 1: (See FIGS. 1 and 2).

An opening 22 having removable guide plates 21 at any spacing which could blow air laterally toward the upper surface of each side part of the eccentrically overlapped wire rings conveyed with a conveyer chain was provided in the upper part of a side wall provided along each side of the conveyer. Air was blown at a flow velocity of 65 m./sec. laterally inwardly onto both marginal regions of the wire rods through said openings 22 and further air was blown upwardly at a flow velocity of 35 m./sec. through ducts below the conveyer. In this case, the difi'erence between the average cooling rates from 900 C. to 550 C. in the marginal regions and the central region of the wire rods was 1.5 C. It was 5.2 C. in a conventional process wherein the wire rods were cooled by an up-draft blowing at a flow velocity of 35 m./sec. through the ducts 20 below the conveyor. The tensile strengths in this case as compared with those in the case of the conventional process are shown in Table 1.

Example 2: (See FIGS. 1 and 2).

Vertical rollers 4 and 4 were arranged from the inlet of a cooling zone so as to be higher than the level of the conveying floor and in zigzag relationship 'at a spacing A of 1,015 mm. laterally of the above mentioned conveyer and at a spacing B or B of 4 m. longitudinally of the conveyer along both sides of the conveyer. The marginal regions of the eccentrically overlapped wire rings were pushed inwardly about 30 mm. and said wire rods were conveyed while being snaked on the conveyer 2. The above mentioned vertical rollers 4 and 4' were rotatably supported with respective roller shafts 6 passed through a bottom plate 5 of the conveyer. The above mentioned vertical rollers were adjustable to facilitate the proper cooling of wire rods of various chemical compositions.

Air was blown laterally inwardly onto both marginal regions of the above mentioned wire rings conveyed while being snaked at a flow velocity of 57 m./sec. through the openings 22 shown in Example 1 and vertically upwardly at a flow velocity of 35 m./sec. through the ducts 20 below the conveyer.

In this case, the overlapped marginal regions of the wire rings of the wire rods were deviated relatively in the horizontal direction. As a result, the difference between the average cooling rates from 900 C. to 550 C. in the central region and the marginal regions of the wire rods was l.6 C./sec. It was 5.2 C./sec. in a conventional process wherein the wire rods were cooled by an up-draft blowing at a flow velocity of 35 m./sec. through the ducts 20 on the lower surface.

The tensile strengths of the product by the present invention as compared with those by the conventional process are shown in Table 2.

Table Z-Continued Tensile strength (kg/mm?) In FIG. 2, 7 is a conveyer chain and 8 is a rail. Example 3: (See FIGS. 1, 2 and 3).

Opposed horizontal rollers 10 and 10 were provided at a higher level than the conveying floor from the inlet of a cooling zone, at a spacing C of 1,015 mm. laterally the conveyor and at a spacing D or D of 500 mm. longitudinally of said conveyer on both sides of the latter. Wire rods were conveyed while the marginal regions of the rings were vertically shifted.

The above mentioned rollers 10 and 10' were rotatably supported on respective roller shafts 12 secured to levers 11 and 11 provided on both sides of them. The above mentioned levers were connected with a joint 17 through a supporting shaft passing through bearings 13 and 14 and a lever 16 connected with said supporting shaft. Said joint was connected with a cylinder 18 through a connecting rod 23 so as to be movable forward and rearward. The above mentioned levers 11 and 11 and lever 16 were made to keep a fixed angle a so that it might be possible to adjust the level of the horizontal rollers with the advancing and retreating motions of the cylinder 18.

In this case, air was blown laterally inwardly onto both marginal regions of the wire rods at a flow velocity of 60 m./sec. through the openings 22 shown in Example l and vertically upwardly at 35 m./sec. through the ducts below the conveyer.

By the above procedure, the marginal regions of the wire rings were moved vertically, the overlapped marginal regions of the wire rings produced gaps and, as a result, the difference between the average cooling rates from 900 C. to 550 C. in the central region and the marginal regions of the wire rods was 10 C./sec. It was 5.2 C./sec. in a conventional process wherein the wire rods were cooled by an up-draft blowing at a flow velocity of 35 m./sec. through the ducts on the lower surface.

The tensile strengths of the product by this example as compared with those by the conventional process as shown in Table 3.

Example 4: (See FIGS. 4 and 5).

Eccentric rollers 24 and 24 were set as opposed to each other at a higher level than the conveying floor, at a lateral spacing A of 1,015 mm. and a longitudinal spacing D of 500 mm. on both sides of the conveyer. The above mentioned eccentric rollers had a diameter of mm. and an eccentricity of 20 to 30 mm. and their roller shafts 27 were driven by driving motors 26 and 26' through driving chains 25 and 25. It was found to be desirable to synchronize the rotating velocity of the eccentric roller with the moving velocity of the conveyer chain 7. In this example, a roller rotating velocity of rpm. was synchronized with a conveyer velocity of 0.6 m./sec.

As the above mentioned eccentric rollers 24 and 24' were formed as described above, gaps were made between the overlapped parts of the wire rods by relatively moving the marginal regions of the rings vertically up and down on the conveyer. At the same time, air was blown laterally inwardly at a flow velocity of 60 m./sec. through the openings 22 shown in Example 1 vertically upwardly and at a flow velocity of 35 m./sec. through the ducts 20 below the conveyer.

In this example, the difference between the average cooling rates from 900 C. to 500 C. in the central region and marginal regions of the wire rods was the same as in the case of Example 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, when vertical rollers 10 and 10 were used at the same time, the cooling effect became higher (See the later mentioned Example 9) but it is not an essential requirement to use such vertical rollers simultaneously. Example 5: (See FIGS. 6 and 7).

Clain links 28 and 28 moving in the direction reverse to that of a chain conveyer for conveying wire rods were provided on both sides of the conveyer at a lateral spacing A of 1,015 mm. and free rollers 29 and 29 were rotatably fitted at a higher level than the conveying floor at a spacing of 1 m. in the upper part of the links of said chain conveyer (the top surface of the roller being about 40 mm. above the upper surface of the rail) so as to move the marginal portions of the ring vertically up and down. The velocity of the above mentioned conveyers 28 and 28' provided with the rollers was adjustable in response to the chemical composition of the wire rod.

The chain links provided with the rollers were connected with a motor 32 through a chain wheel 30 and driving chain 31.

The marginal regions of the wire rings were lifted by the chain links provided with the rollers of the above mentioned mechanism to make gaps among the overlapped parts and were cooled by laterally inwardly directed edge air-cooling and vertically directed aircooling from below. As a result, the difference between the cooling rates in the marginal region and central region of the wire rods was the same as in the case of using the horizontal rollers 10 and 10' in Example 3. The effects could be increased by fitting vertical rollers to the conveyer provided with rollers.

Example 6: (See FIG. 8).

A cooling chain conveyer located in a cooling zone from 900 C. to 550 C. was equipped with a divided chain system. That is to say, chains 7, 7 and 7 driven by respective separate chain wheels 33, 34 and 35 were provided as short links at a spacing smaller than the wire ring diameter of the wire rod and the velocity of each chain link was variable, for example, 0.6 m./sec. for the outside chains 7 and 7 and 0.9 m./sec. for the inside chains 7' and 7". Then the overlapped wire rings of the wire rods were shifted relatively forwardly and rearwardly to make gaps.

Air was blown laterally inwardly onto the marginal regions of said wire rods at a flow velocity of 60 m./sec. through the opening 22 and also vertically at 35 m./sec. through the ducts 20 below the conveyer. As a result, the difference between the average cooling rates in the marginal regions and central region of the wire rods was the same as in the case of using the horizontal rollers 10 and 10 described in Example 3.

In this example, the outside conveyers 7 and 7" or the inside conveyers 7' and 7 were described to be of the same velocity. But, as required, the respective conveyers 7, 7 7" and 7" could be moved at respectively different velocities and, when the above described vertical rollers in this example were simultaneously used, the effects were even better.

Example 7: (See FIGS. 9 and 9a).

A cooling conveyer located in a cooling zone from 900 C, to 550 C. was equipped with a roller conveyer system.

That is to say, conveyer rollers 36 driven by such driving mechanism as, for example, bevel gears 37 and 37' were provided at a suitable spacing and rollers which were larger in diameter at both ends or one end than in the middle (to be, for example, 60 mm. in the middle and 120 mm. at the ends) were arranged at intervals of several rollers so as to move the marginal regions of the rings vertically up and down. Further, the reduction ratio of the bevel gears was set so that the speed might be changed at intervals of several rollers. For the driving mechanism, not only the bevel gears but also motor rollers connected directly with respective rollers or a chain drive can be properly used.

Then air was blown laterally inwardly at a flow velocity of 60 m./sec. through the openings 22 diagonally above the marginal regions of the wire rods and also vertically upwardly at a flow velocity of 35 m./sec. through the ducts below the conveyer. As a result, the same effects as in the case of the horizontal rollers 10 and 10 described in Example 3 could be obtained. When the above described vertical rollers were simultaneously used, the effects were even better.

Example 8: (See FIGS. 2 and 3).

The vertical rollers 4 and 4' described in Example 2 were arranged in contact with the center line of the respective horizontal rollers described in Example 3 on both sides of a conveyer. Air was blown laterally inwardly onto the marginal regions of the wire rods at a flow velocity of 50 m./sec. through the openings 22 and also vertically upwardly at a flow velocity of 35 m./sec. through the ducts 20 below the conveyer. As a result, the difference between the average cooling rates from 900 C. to 550 C. in the central region and marginal regions of said wire rods were 0.5 C./sec.

The tensile strengths of the product according to the present invention as compared with those of a conventional product are shown in the following Table 4.

Table 4-Continued Tensile strength (kg/mm?) Example 9: (See FIGS. 2 and 5).

Vertical rollers 4 and 4 were arranged alternately in zigzag relationship between the eccentric rollers 24 and 24 (Example 4) disposed at a higher level than the conveying floor at a lateral spacing of 1,015 mm. and a longitudinal spacing of 500 mm. on both sides of the conveyer so that the marginal regions of the rings might be moved vertically up and down while the rings are being snaked to horizontally shift the overlapped wire rings of said wire rods relatively. Air was blown laterally inwardly onto the wire rods at a flow velocity of 50 m./sec. through the openings 22 located diagonally above them and also vertically upwardly at a flow velocity of 35 m./sec. through the ducts 20 below the conveyer.

As a result, the difference between the average cooling rates in the central region and marginal regions of said wire rods was the same as in the case of using the vertical rollers 4 and 4' together with the horizontal rollers 10 and 10.

The cooling velocities in the respective regions of the wire rings of the wire rods in the above examples and the conventional process are shown in FIG. 10.

It is clear from FIG. 10 that, in the cooling process of the present invention, the difference in the average cooling rate in the respective regions of the wire rings of said wire rods is much smaller than in the conventional process.

Thus, according to the present invention, the cooling rates in the central region and both marginal regions of the wire rings of said wire rods become so uniform that the quality and mechanical properties of the produced wire rods are vastly improved.

What is claimed is:

l. A process for cooling a wire rod comprising:

depositing the rod on a moving conveyor in the form of eccentrically overlapped rings;

blowing cooling air across said rings; and

continually shifting said rings relative to one another while said air is blown thereacross whereby to facilitate the uniform cooling of the rod.

2. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said relative shifting of the rings is accomplished in a vertical direction.

3. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said relative shifting of the rings is accomplished in a horizontal direction.

4. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said relative shifting of the rings is accomplished simultaneously in both vertical and horizontal directions.

5. A process as set forth in claim 3 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.

6. A process as set forth in claim 3 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished longitudinally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.

7. A process as set forth in claim 3 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished simultaneously both longitudinally and laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.

8. A process as set forth in claim 4 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.

9. A process as set forth in claim 4 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished longitudinally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.

10. A process as set forth in claim 4 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished simultaneously both longitudinally and laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.

11. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said air blowing step comprises blowing air in a generally vertical direction across said rings and simultaneously blowing air inwardly in a lateral direction toward each side of the overlapped rings.

12. Apparatus for cooling a wire rod comprising:

a moving conveyor;

means for depositing a wire rod on said conveyor in the form of eccentrically overlapped rings;

means for blowing cooling air across said conveyor at a location thereof and thereby across any rings thereon at said location; and

means for continually shifting rings on the conveyor relative to one another while the rings are at said location whereby to facilitate the uniform cooling of the rod.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said air blowing means comprises means for blowing air in a generally vertical direction toward the conveyor and means for blowing air laterally inwardly toward each side of the conveyor.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said ring shifting means comprises mechanism for relatively shifting said rings in a vertical direction.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said ring shifting means comprises mechanism for relatively shifting said rings in a horizontal direction.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said ring shifting means comprises a first mechanism for relatively shifting said rings in a vertical direction and a second mechanism for simultaneously relatively shifting said rings in a horizontal direction.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said horizontal shifting mechanism comprises snaking means for relatively shifting said rings laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said horizontal shifting mechanism comprises braking means for relatively shifting said rings longitudinally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.

19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said horizontal shifting mechanism also comprises snaking means for relatively shifting said rings laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.

20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said second mechanism comprises snaking means for relatively shifting said rings laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.

21. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said second mechanism comprises braking means for relatively shifting said rings longitudinally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.

22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said second mechanism also comprises snaking means for relatively shifting said rings laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor. 

1. A process for cooling a wire rod comprising: depositing the rod on a moving conveyor in the form of eccentrically overlapped rings; blowing cooling air across said rings; and continually shifting said rings relative to one another while said air is blown thereacross whereby to facilitate the uniform cooling of the rod.
 2. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said relative shifting of the rings is accomplished in a vertical direction.
 3. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said relative shifting of the rings is accomplished in a horizontal direction.
 4. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said relative shifting of the rings is accomplished simultaneously in both vertical and horizontal directions.
 5. A process as set forth in claim 3 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.
 6. A process as set forth in claim 3 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished longitudinaLly of the direction of movement of the conveyor.
 7. A process as set forth in claim 3 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished simultaneously both longitudinally and laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.
 8. A process as set forth in claim 4 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.
 9. A process as set forth in claim 4 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished longitudinally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.
 10. A process as set forth in claim 4 wherein said horizontal shifting is accomplished simultaneously both longitudinally and laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.
 11. A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said air blowing step comprises blowing air in a generally vertical direction across said rings and simultaneously blowing air inwardly in a lateral direction toward each side of the overlapped rings.
 12. Apparatus for cooling a wire rod comprising: a moving conveyor; means for depositing a wire rod on said conveyor in the form of eccentrically overlapped rings; means for blowing cooling air across said conveyor at a location thereof and thereby across any rings thereon at said location; and means for continually shifting rings on the conveyor relative to one another while the rings are at said location whereby to facilitate the uniform cooling of the rod.
 13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said air blowing means comprises means for blowing air in a generally vertical direction toward the conveyor and means for blowing air laterally inwardly toward each side of the conveyor.
 14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said ring shifting means comprises mechanism for relatively shifting said rings in a vertical direction.
 15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said ring shifting means comprises mechanism for relatively shifting said rings in a horizontal direction.
 16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said ring shifting means comprises a first mechanism for relatively shifting said rings in a vertical direction and a second mechanism for simultaneously relatively shifting said rings in a horizontal direction.
 17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said horizontal shifting mechanism comprises snaking means for relatively shifting said rings laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.
 18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said horizontal shifting mechanism comprises braking means for relatively shifting said rings longitudinally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.
 19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said horizontal shifting mechanism also comprises snaking means for relatively shifting said rings laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.
 20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said second mechanism comprises snaking means for relatively shifting said rings laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.
 21. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said second mechanism comprises braking means for relatively shifting said rings longitudinally of the direction of movement of the conveyor.
 22. Apparatus as set forth in claim 21 wherein said second mechanism also comprises snaking means for relatively shifting said rings laterally of the direction of movement of the conveyor. 